The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. (Psalm 29:5-6)
As we were sharing in the previous devotions, David calls on all people, great and small, to revere the God of Israel above all gods, all kings and all dominions. He alone is due all honor and glory, and just in case we are tempted to forget, David reminds us that, with the sound of His voice, the world was created in the midst of nothing. At the sound of His Voice, the seas rumble and wave, the great cedars of Lebanon splinter into twigs and the nations tremble. As it written, “His voice was like the sound of many waters” (Ezekiel 43:2).
I am reminded that Scripture records a handful of occasions when God spoke in an audible voice allowing men to hear. For instance, the people of Israel heard Him speak from the midst of the thick cloud atop Mount Sinai. As He spoke, they trembled with fear and ultimately begged Moses to ask God to quit speaking. According to their own testimony, the power of the Word spoken to them was more than they could bear; they most definitely heard God when He spoke but could not endure it.
I am also reminded that there have been times when God spoke audibly but some men did not discern His voice. One such example stands out: just days before His crucifixion, Messiah prayed that Father would glorify His Name. The Gospel of John records that, in response, “A voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’ Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him” (John 12:28-29). The point is, some people heard the voice and others only heard thunder; some could discern the voice of God and some could not.
This leads us to this question: is our spiritual discernment such that we can hear the voice of God or are we among those who would pass it off as thunder? Are we those who desire to hear His Voice and the Word He brings to us or are we those who can’t bear to hear His Voice and shudder at His command? God is indeed speaking — He speaks through His Creation, through His Word and by His Spirit. The question is, are we listening? Let us be those who, not only hear Him, but also give honor and worship to the One whose voice shakes heaven and earth (Hebrew 12:26).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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